Perceptions Of Reality
by PassionateFlames
Summary: Haruno Sakura had lost her two best friends in one night. She had discovered the truth of everything in the course of an hour, and within five minutes given the key to change it all. Time Travel fic. ItaSaku
1. Prologue

Life is merely a matter of one's perception. With one truth, you could change the world. With time, you could change hopes to reality. To become a traitor to save everyone, to give up love to save three wounded souls, and to lose your very soul to become a hero. This is the tale of Sakura Haruno's biggest sacrifice, and ultimate mistake.


	2. What Changes

**Chapter 1 : The Future Can Change The Present**

_Love breeds sacrifice, which breeds hatred. - Anonymous_

* * *

Sakura felt her breath heaving as she pushed herself further, one leg after the other. The pain in her feet was unbearable agony, but she knew if she stopped - it would be worse and everything would be over. She didn't look back for fear of what she might see, but she kept pushing forward though her body strained against such actions.

She hadn't known this would be the outcome. She never planned for this. Life had done some pretty cruel things to her and this was proof enough. She took a breath as her foot reached the next tree, panting as she went. It was snowing, and she was running right through the storm. Never had she hated running so much in her life - but that was the thing, if she stopped she wouldn't have to worry about her life anymore. The nin would take it gladly.

She was a traitor after all. Gritting her teeth - in anger and against the cold - she moved faster. This was the lesson she was supposed to learn - and damn did she wish she hadn't listened to _that _person. It was bound to happen - expected even. However, Sakura had been in, more or less, a comatose state over the situation and simply listened without any questions asked.

Sakura kept praying silently - begging almost - that _kami _please let her make it to the village in time. If the portal closed before she got there, then she was pretty done for. She would have to keep running, but if only she had known that things weren't going to change. That all time is, is a circle. It works like cause and effect. One event triggers the next - and her actions caused the events to unfold.

This had to be the first time she believed Neji Hyuuga to be right in his statements regarding destiny - fate. Maybe fate was that she was destined to die here, perhaps not. She wouldn't know until she made it there. She felt herself desperately in need to cry, but she couldn't and more importantly _would not. _Not just because it was in the ninja rules, but because more importantly there was nothing left to cry for.

Everything that had happened, was all to blame on herself. The events that had unraveled even before her birth were bound to happened, and it was all because of her. She pondered it she wasn't alive right now, maybe things wouldn't have been like this. But wallowing in the past was a regret taking away from the time you have in the future to change.

And that was reality. Reality was that she was now a missing-nin who was not lucky enough to get to stop once in a while, because every country was hunting her down. She only wish that she had _him _with her right now, to tell her to stop worrying because they were both strong enough to do this, _but _life never worked in ones favors or hopes. Quite the opposite actually, almost as if it was a challenge - a mental obstacle - for you to overcome.

Sakura almost whimpered as her foot hit the next tree branch. Her limbs were aching from exhaustion and she desperately wanted to stop, but she couldn't. The ninja were hot on her trail - if she stopped, it would be too late. If Naruto were here, he wouldn't give up. If Sasuke and Kakashi were here, they would know exactly what to do. But that was just it, they weren't here. Sakura was alone, and she had to make it through this as such.

Accepting those facts were hard, but it was life of those who walk the life of a shinobi. Everyone was gone, but that didn't mean her job was gone, and though it didn't make things any easier, she had to keep going. It was her motivation to keep moving now. She had to go back and fix things again, or at least _attempt _to make things right. It would be just her luck if she didn't make it.

_No, _her inner voiced, _Don't think like that. _

If she started having second thoughts - started worrying about her mistakes now, it would be pointless to keep going. She started to wince as the mark on her arm burned. It was almost time. She had several more kilometers to go.

She felt a kunai whip past her hair - missing by a mere inch - though close enough to singe her hair as it landed in the tree to her right. Her eyes widened and she gasped as it exploded but kept moving through. She heard shouts behind her but paid them no mind. She had to make it. She had to, no matter what. If she stopped, just for one mere second - it was over.

She thought frantically, if for some amount of time, that maybe if she sped up then they'd lose her. She couldn't create any clones, less she waste chakra she needed for keeping up this pace. She didn't exactly have reserves like that of Kakashi, Sasuke, Naruto, or even Uchiha Itachi. She had limits. She was beginning to see how low her reserves seemed to be compared to others. And she hated every minute of it.

Picking up speed with a cough, she kept moving. She anticipated what would happen if she failed. She was in Kiri, so chances are her chances at a swift death would be limited none to none. If she had been back home, there would have been a chance of a trial. However, as of now, her luck was failing.

She noticed that while her body was still straining to keep moving, her legs were becoming numb and the muscles tightening. Worse case scenario - if she stopped - well, she wouldn't even have the ability to move, so after that if they were still hot on her trail, obvious.

She sensed about six behind her. Not a good sign. Though the odds could fall in her favor, the chances of that happening if they worked for who she believed they did, were becoming less likely. She needed to slow them down - without slowing down herself. Concentrating, and bringing chakra to her legs to keep her going, she slammed her fist hard into the next tree, before quickly performing hand signs.

It should hold them off for about several seconds but that should be enough - for now. Sakura could see the village now. She wanted to cry in relief, but she wasn't there yet, and they were back on her. She could do this. _Persevere_. She knew she could do it. Sakura had to stop her younger self from making a fatal mistake.

She kept telling herself she could see her boys with her - pushing her on. She closed her eyes and saw _him _- telling her she could do this, he believed in her. He had said it once before - the night before she disappeared. The mark on her arm started burning; a warning.

She cursed Madara Uchiha to the depths of hell. If it wasn't for that treacherous man, Sakura wouldn't have lost everything, and she would _not _be running for her life, as well as people from the past's life as well. Her shishou always told her time was not to be toyed with. It was not something that could be changed or tampered with. She wished now she had listened.

Rain began pouring down, thunder shaking her. Sakura knew that this was a challenge. Her head was pounding and her medical instincts were telling her to stop - that her body was going to shut down, but she didn't heed it's call. Instead, she tried speeding towards the village. Her feet splashed loudly through the water and from her lips escaped yet another frantic breath.

Within her line of vision, she noticed the shinobi come closer. Then she heard one speak.

"Haruno Sakura, give up. Resistance is futile."

_Never. _

She didn't spare them a glance, but kept moving. Only that was a bad move on her part. Apparently she offended them. Without uttering another word, one of the ninja from behind her through a fire jutsu at her. Sakura couldn't dodge it. The rain made it difficult to maneuver around - as well as keep concentration on her chakra. There were no options.

She couldn't stop it, couldn't dodge it, and her muscles seemed to realizes that. For as she lost her concentration, this time she fell, and fell hard. Her face hit the mud - cuts were bound to be there. Her chin rested within the ground and she was immobile.

She wanted to get up, to something; she felt nin approaching. A shuriken shot out from behind her. It was blocked by another one, which silenced the male. Eyes warily glared at the now closing portal, but widened when they saw what came out. A smirk was sure to be on the face of the masked man who stepped out by the aura radiating around him.

"Haruno Sakura," the dark malicious voice of Madara Uchiha spoke. Then in an amused tone, he continued.

"Well, well. I wasn't expecting this surprise." She simply glared. He _was _expecting this, and he knew it. He's the one who had her do this in the first place.

"Don't _toy _with _me_, Madara," Sakura spat. He _tsked _in reproach. Now being serious, Madara grabbed Sakura by the collar.

"My dear, you're already too late. Imagine who I just spoke to recently," he said gleefully.

Sakura's eyes widened, "_No…" _She was too late.

"_Yes, _She was so distraught after I killed her teammates, destroyed her village, and then killed every last person she cared about right in front of her eyes - over and over," he glanced at her face, "Don't you know, _Sa-ku-ra_?"

"How could I _not_?" she sneered, "_It was me." _

* * *

_I am so sorry that I couldn't have a chapter out sooner, and am much more sorry this isn't longer but - the more I tried to drag it out, the less you would have enjoyed it. But I promise the next one is going to be much longer - and much more explanatory. _

_Well, please tell me what you think. Though there isn't much to say, let me know if it's turning out great, bad, or not. The next chapter will go back to where Madara just came from. Then it will take you back through where Sakura travels. _

_Anyway, R &R! _

_And as much as I would have liked to update on Christmas as a present, I simply didn't have more than a page done, so consider it my end of the year (New Years Eve - if I'm being politically correct) present! Hope you enjoyed! _


	3. What I Desire

**Chapter 1 : What I Want More Than Anything **

"_One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." – Henry Miller _

* * *

Haruno Sakura shook violently, blood soaking into every inch of her. Emerald eyes were wide with fear and dread at the scene that lay scattered in front of her. She had thought through the last several years she knew loss, she knew hate, and she knew emptiness. She was _wrong. _This was so much worse, so very much so.

She hadn't anticipated things to turn out this way - but everyone had kept her out of the 'loop'. Nobody ever explained how very wrong things were, how very deeply layered in deception and bloody coded lies that the world was in. Despite her clouding suspicions, Sakura was innocent. _Was, _being the notion of this evenings happenings. War. She never really understood what it did to people until now.

Her innocence was shattered the moment this ended. She couldn't even fake up a smile and pull a Naruto to say 'It's not over!' because she would be lying through he teeth. She could barely stand; her legs shook with agony. How had this all _happened_? No, _I knew how, _she scolded herself. Sakura was numb, though her body went into lockdown began hyperventilating.

What is more, for the first time in a long time, Sakura felt hot liquid stream down her face. It was understandable, well maybe that was an understatement. She was only human. Shinobi were tools, but they were not perfect. You can create a solider from a man, but at the end of the day, they are only just a man. Everyone has limits. Sakura was well aware of that fact.

She glanced at the mangled corpses of what was once Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke - her best friends. Whereas Sasuke's eyes were closed peacefully, Naruto's were wide open in pain. Ironic, isn't it? _I guess you finally deserve peace now, ne, Sasuke-kun? _Her eyes stayed on Naruto for a moment before she closed them once more. _It was such was a young age to die you two, ne? We still had so much to accomplish. _

She dropped to her knees letting the sobs escape her chest in wild spasms. As of now, Haruno Sakura was the remaining member of the infamous Team 7. Their sensei was somewhere among the village with her other precious people - dead. Her shoulders shook. She was alone. Completely alone. _Was this was it felt like Sasuke? This unbearable whole in my chest, this loneliness…. ?_

Maybe now she really understood how Sasuke felt. To have everything ripped away - when you least expect it. _That's how our life is though. _To walk the path of a shinobi, you must be willing to accept the sacrifices that will be made, the deaths that will follow, the danger that will accompany those you care about down every corner. It is an oath shinobi make when they first step into the Academy, and as usual she remembered that as well. She would have smiled bitterly, but she couldn't do more than glance around her at the messy scene.

Every single person she ever cared for, every single last one - slaughtered like they were nothing. All by one man - Madara Uchiha. She had never felt so much hate consume her. Pain engulfed her like a flame desiring to burn on a cold night. She was out of chakra, out of options, and at this point, out of that 'Will of Fire'. Naruto always said that if you believe you can do something, then you will succeed. Sakura's eyes glimmered in pain. _You were wrong, Naruto. _

_So very wrong. _

Tears were budding, but she refused to let them fall. She could not cry for the dead, because that would not bring them back. She had tried. A body was tossed into a tree nearby - a neighbor of hers. The corpse landed into a tree branch, and it looked mangled. Eyes widened before she began puking. Her arms trembled and she shut her eyes tightly praying over and over it was a dream. But every time she opened her eyes, there it was.

The result of war.

_And the weakest kunochi of the Rookie 9 is the only one left standing, _Sakura thought cynically catching her breath. She felt like she couldn't breathe. Nobody was hear to tell her it was over, that things were okay. She was on her own. Sakura began spitting up contents of her stomach mixed with blood again. A presence was making itself known but she was too tired to move - she didn't care. A hand reached to her back. She glared attempting to swipe her hand back.

"Don't touch me," she growled then regretted it as her stomach disagreed with her.

The masked man laughed, "Or what, hm? What can you do? Your village has been destroyed."

He put a hand on her shoulder - and she shook.

"Leave me alone, Madara. You've taken everything else, let it be." She turned from him. His eyes narrowed and he grabbed her chin pointing it towards the sky. There in the place of the moon was the Sharingan eye. She was lulled into the genjutsu immediately.

Once again, she faced the hell of what had occurred in the last forty-eight hours. Her eyes widened and her legs were frozen.

_Madara and Sasuke - other villages were attacking. She felt frozen as they attacked her friends. Shizune, Tsunade. Neji, Lee, Tenten. They went down first. She screamed, tears streaking down her face as Ino's neck was snapped from behind as she healed Shikamaru. Temari was killed with him soon after. Gaara tried protecting them but he failed too. Her friends were slaughtered one by one. She couldn't move. Kakashi was killed by Danzou. Half of his body was crushed under a building. _

_When it happened, her body had been frozen in place the whole time. Bodies piled up and Sakura couldn't close her eyes. Stop, Stop, Stop! She screamed continuously shaking her head. It wouldn't end. This isn't real, this isn't real. She fell to her knees as there were only two left. Naruto. Sasuke. _

"_Naruto! Sasuke! No!" she screamed as they went at it. _

"_I won't let you do this to the village, Sasuke," Naruto said with a no-nonsense tone. _

"_It's already been done! This village has crumbled," Sasuke glared. _

"_Why?! What did you prove?" Naruto questioned rhetorically. _

"_Everything. Now, maybe everyone will understand what I suffered." _

"_So you murdered countless innocents, people who didn't do _anything _so they could understand a little pain?" _

"_It was essential." _

"_How was helping Madara murder your friends 'essential'? What did we ever do? We tried to bring you out of the darkness. We tried to help you!" _

"_I don't need anyone's help." _

_Naruto gave a soft bitter laugh, "That's right. That's why you're doing this. Because you don't need help." _

"_You will never understand, Naruto." _

"_I understand better than you think. That anger you feel - that desire to punish to those who hurt you by taking away the one thing you had that represented a family. The people you thought cared lied to you. Yes, Sasuke, I understand that so much better now…That's why," Naruto looked up glaring, "I'm going to stop you this time! Revenge won't change anything. It doesn't satisfy you. It doesn't give you anything but loneliness." _

_Sasuke was quiet for a moment before he spoke, "This is it. Enough talking." He reached into his pocket and retrieved a headband and tied it to his forehead. Naruto's eyes widened. _

"_This time - I won't hold back," Sasuke warned. _

_Naruto smiled, "Neither will I."_

_Sakura clasped her hands together as they fought flinching. She screamed over and over for them to stop. They wouldn't listen. They couldn't hear her. She tried to get their attention. Nothing worked. Eventually, Sasuke and Naruto were out of breath. They couldn't breathe. Panting raggedly, they got up in an attempt to go at it. Until a sword ran through the both of them at the same time. Eyes widened at each other before the fell to the ground. Her legs moved. _

_She ran to them screaming. Please be alright. Sakura knew they weren't alright. _

"_No, Naruto…Sasuke," she cried holding both their hands. They were spitting up blood. _

_Naruto smiled slightly at her. Sasuke's eyes were softening. He tightened to her hand struggling to stay with her for dear life. _

"_This is it," Naruto said shakily. _

"_No. Don't say that. Don't say that," she said shaking her head. She tried to heal them. A hand came to her face. It was Sasuke._

"_It's no use Sakura. Save your energy." _

"_Please don't leave me. I need you two." _

"_It's just you now Sakura-chan.." Naruto coughed up blood smiling slightly at her. _

"_No, I won't let it happen!" she cried at him. Her hands kept glowing - it was no use. _

"_Sakura, be safe," they both said. _

"_I'll finally be at peace," Sasuke muttered and closed his eyes as if going to sleep. She knew what he meant. He would be with his brother, he'd be with the people who cared for him. Sakura's tears met his cheeks then more softly, "Sakura I…." before he spoke no more. _

"_Sakura, you need to run," Naruto begged as his body began to shake. He could tell the Nine-Tails was try to escape his body. She held his face gently._

"_I'm not leaving you two even if it means I have to die." _

"_Please…" Naruto said. He looked to Sasuke. It appeared as if Sasuke was dead. Naruto let a small sad smile touch his face._

"_It's time for us to go. I never even got to be Hokage," he laughed softly._

"_Naruto, you were always Hokage to this village," she whispered. _

"_Yeah…." He said with a grimace. _

"_I feel it. The Nine-Tails…It's coming out," He said. He looked at Sakura. _

"_Sakura….before.. I go…. I have one last thing…" he looked at her. _

"_Anything!" she cried. She came to his level as he whispered it into her ear. _

"_Kiss…me…Sakura." _

_She nodded, crying. She brought her damp lips to his bloody ones. He brought a hand to her head before he was to weak to move. She pulled back, crying softly. His eyes shot open as blood soaked his torso and the ground. His body convulsed until a powerful shock pushed her back. She looked up with widened eyes. The Kyuubi. She closed her eyes losing consciousness. _

Sakura clutched her chest, screaming in pain as she heard the screams, saw the same scene millions of times over. Her screams echoed throughout the empty ground of what used to be her home. Tears poured down her face.

Madara enjoyed her cries and recalled that he should be making his next stop to the Haruno Sakura of the future. He smirked. That was sure to be enjoyable. Around this time, he'd expect her to be running for the portal to stop her from leaving. He had planned it all through. This girl, was at fault for many things but mostly he had to thank her, for if not for her, his plans would have never come to frutation. If she had declined his offer, then possibly many things may have never happened. His smirk widened.

A foolish girl for her to be manipulated so well. He walked over to the corpse of the Uchiha. Bending down he reached for his eyes, when a small voice growled,

"Don't touch him!"

He merely gave her an impeccable glance. She stood and before her fist landed a punch, he was behind her with both her arms behind her back. He brought his face to her ear.

"This was your fault. Look, you couldn't do anything to save anyone. What does that make you?" He was goading her.

Sakura trembled as she watched around, "No…I'm not useless."

His malevolent laugh echoed in her ears, "Such words from someone who doesn't even believe it herself."

"You know nothing about me," she spoke with such hate in her voice, it almost impressed him. Almost.

"On the contrary, Sakura, I know _everything _about you. You were vain as a child, and became a ninja to prove nothing. You didn't realize you had any strength until you were humiliated hundreds of times. In other words, you are weak. Pathetic."

She shook her head.

"Are you saying I'm wrong?"

She glared. "I became a ninja because I wanted to become strong. I was vain as a child because I wanted to prove myself to Sasuke. I knew my potential before Sasuke left, I knew I was smart before Sasuke left. I was always strong. I just didn't tap into my potential until after he left because I had a greater purpose to become strong."

He smirked. He had heard this so many times before. He already knew the answer but asked anyway.

"What is that 'greater purpose', _Sakura?" _He taunted.

"To protect what I care for most. To hold onto the bonds I worked hard to make," she answered with fierce determination.

"Such foolish words. Real shinobi do not have bonds. They do not care for anyone but themselves. Bonds make you weak. Power makes you strong. Isolate yourself, trust only yourself, shed yourself of emotions. That is what a shinobi is."

"It is you who is foolish. A shinobi is your title - a job. Shinobi are tools. More than that, shinobi are created from humans. Humans have emotions, humans have bonds, humans trust. It is that humanity that makes a strong shinobi. Only a monster forgets what he is."

"A monster?" he asked cynically, "Barely."

"If not a monster, Madara, then you are nothing. A useless shell of what you once were," she said quietly. He dug his nails into her arms causing her to cry out in pain.

"If I am nothing, Sakura, then what does that make you? As you've said, shinobi are created from humans. Yet, you are no more human than I am." He was amused with what her reaction as it twisted because she had no idea what he was talking about because she hadn't lived through it yet.

She laughed, "I have more humanity in one finger than you do in your entire body."

"Perhaps."

She growled, "Why don't you just kill me and get it over with already?"

"So eager to die?" he questioned lightly twirling her hair between his fingers.

"It's better than spending a moment more with _you_. At least I'll be in peace."

"What makes you think I'd offer you that mercy…?"

Sakura's smirk was ironic, "Why wouldn't you? You like murder."

"I also enjoy torture," He added.

"My, what a difference," Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Oh, how amusing you are."

"What do you want with me?"

"I'm not sure I remember."

She growled. Sakura knew he was messing with her head and she didn't like it. Not. One. Bit. She turned her head away in annoyance. What more could he gain from her? She was empty, broken. There was nothing left of her. She felt nothing now - stripped of everything. It was biting at her.

"Don't toy with me, _what do you want_?" she drew out each syllable.

Madara sighed. He was growing bored with this little game. He was running out of time as it was. He needed to explain this quickly. Sakura was, after all, the key in his little plans. It was ironic that the weakest girl from her age group would become the only survivor and the centerpiece of his plans. He needed to send her to the past. There, things would begin. Not that she knew any of this. Sakura would think she was saving everyone when if fact she was just causing what she was trying to prevent to happen. He enjoyed this thought. Nothing could possibly change his plans now. He would not allow anything to come in his way. The future would be his kingdom. War would constantly rage, shinobi would be under his genjutsu fighting a never ending battle and reliving their pasts day after day. Those who fought against it would be eliminated. That wasn't all, but Madara knew that would be better left for a day where he could boast to this little insignificant shinobi. His arms tightened cracking bones. She winced. The wind blew slightly covering her face from view.

Sakura was lost in her own thoughts. What was she to do? Nothing, that's right. If Madara was up to something, she could not amuse him. She wished things had been different. She wanted things to be different. She knew they shouldn't be like this. Her, Sasuke, and Naruto should be eating lunch together after some ANBU mission. Naruto should be Hokage; Sasuke and her should be his 'advisors'. Unfortunately, this was reality and that was a fantasy. A long and impossible to reach dream that she shouldn't have wasted so much time trying to achieve.

Sakura felt hopeless in the hands of the only remaining Uchiha. He would kill her when he grew tired of her, that was reality. Reality was that her friends were dead. Reality was that there was no hope. The reality was that no matter what happened, in the end, loss was certain. That chivalrous deeds and acting as a hero did not save the world. The reality was that she was all alone and nothing would ever change that.

Her fantasies that she would someday marry Sasuke; that Naruto would be the greatest Hokage the shinobi world has seen; that Kakashi was invincible; that the Leaf would never crumble to Madara; that he would be destroyed; that life would end up turning out okay in the end. All of that was an illusion that Sakura tried to fool herself into believing. She lied to herself thinking that would happen, and now it was over.

Madara's arms were still ripping through muscles and tissue in Sakura's arm but she paid it no mind. She was far too numb to feel it anymore. When he finally dropped her to the ground however, she let out a cry of pain. He crouched down to eyelevel. She shut her eyes tightly.

Grabbing her chin, he called in a low voice, "Look at me."

"No." She kept shaking her head. He squeezed her arm again, forcing her eyes to snap open. It was all it took. He had her frozen.

"What do you want most right now?" he questioned with a detached tone.

"You. Dead." She spat out.

He chuckled, "Something attainable, my dear."

Her eyes widened before lowering to the ground, "Don't say such things to me. Everything is gone. The only thing that I can attain now is death. There is nothing else."

He smirked, "Are you so sure?"

Silence. Madara waited for her to take the bait.

"What do you mean?" What was he talking about?

"Tell me. Aside from my death or yours, what do you want most right now?" he repeated.

She glanced around at the scene around her, "I want everyone to be alive again. I wish the Uchiha Massacre, the Revolt, Sasuke meeting Orochimaru…I wish none of it had ever happened."

He laughed inwardly. Oh, this was just too easy. She was truly foolish. The Uchiha Massacre happened because of events that took place years before the village was founded - albeit, he doubted this kunochi was aware of that fact. His lips took on a predatory grin.

"What if I told you that I could send you back to change it?"

Sakura's head snapped up and she turned to him and glared, "Do I _look _stupid to you? That's impossible. And even if it wasn't, why would _you _help _me_, Uchiha?"

Though she knew it was a sick joke, a part of her wished it was so real she could almost taste it. If she could change everything, things might not be the way they are. Her, Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi-sensei….A picture of them all together, and Sasuke smiling….It was a hard thing to turn down.

"This is not a joke, little girl. Have you ever heard of the Izanagi?" he asked. It was meant as a rhetorical question because he knew she did not.

"The Izanagi?" she asked warily.

He nodded, "The next level of the Sharingan." _How many damn levels were there in the Sharingan? Next thing you know, destroying the world causes the Sharingan to make you Kami himself, _Sakura's inner griped.

"So, it gives you the ability to time-travel?" Sakura questioned him with a cynical look. She didn't believe this.

He nodded once more, "Essentially. The Izanagi allows the user to 'control' reality. With it, the user determines real from reality. The gifts that come with it vary from person to person. However, once being used one time, the user is left blind. It was forbidden among the Uchiha Clan because they feared it - the effects. That is why it became a kinjutsu. As for myself, I can travel through the time planes but unlike Danzou, I don't suffer from the…after effects."

"And you're telling _me _this?"

"Didn't you just say you would stop the Massacre?" Madara asked.

"Why would you go out of your way to help me? You hate Uchiha. Why bring them back?"

"I did not hate Uchiha. I merely…_disliked _that they allowed themselves to be treated like they were nothing. Bringing them back will suit my own purpo--"

"So you can kill them again?" She hissed.

He laughed darkly, "My dear cherry blossom, if I wanted to kill them again, then there would be no purpose in talking to _you_. As I was saying, it will suit my own benefits. What I will do does not go against what you, yourself, are trying to do. As for your other question, why not you? You're the only one left after all…"

Sakura glowered, bristling at the meaning behind it, "You useless pathetic bast--"

His fingers were on his lips, and through the hole in the mask, she could tell he was amused by her antics - but it didn't escape her notice that there was anger in there as well. She kept silent.

"Make your decision tomorrow Sakura, and I will send you back exactly eight years before the Massacre. That should give you enough time." He dropped her once more. Head on the ground, she began to hyperventilate again.

Madara seemed to have forgotten something because he added, "It's not like you have anything to lose after all…"

She struggled to move but couldn't. So, she settled with healing her aching wounds. That night, she scorched through the only remaining items she had left. Her headband, supplies, Naruto's necklace, Ino's ribbon, and the Team 7 photo. She held it gingerly in her hands. Eight years, huh? She looked up to the blue sky.

"_Naruto…Sasuke, _what would you do?" she closed her eyes.

She spent the whole night burying bodies, and when she finished it was just dawn. She stood in front of Naruto and Sasuke's grave. Sakura had been up all night thinking about Madara's proposition.

"_I will send you back exactly eight years before the Massacre….it's not like you have anything to lose…" _

He was right. She didn't have anything to lose. Shinobi should see underneath the underneath, to look past deception, but what was there to look behind? If she failed, the same thing would happen and she would end up dead in the end. If she didn't go, she'd still end up dead. If she succeeded in changing things….Maybe she could change the reality to illusion, and vise versa.

Sakura thought about it for a moment.

_If I could change back the clocks, _

Pictures of Team 7 were flashing in her mind - the days where life had been easy and fun. She was thinking of the Chunnin exams, rescuing Sasuke from Gaara, the funeral for the Third, and then Sasuke's departure.

_If I could have just one thing back, _

She recalled Naruto leaving to train with Jiraya, and her own apprenticeship to Tsunade.

_If I could make life any different than now_

…_._

…

_I would do it. _

--

Madara spent the morning with his own devices - meeting with the older Sakura to tell her she was too late - which she was. Sakura Haruno would not interfere with his plans past, present, or future - or even after death. He smirked, as he pushed a pawn foreword on the board. Everything was going according to plan. It wouldn't be long now.

Sakura, on the other hand, was trying not to be sick. She was weak because of the sleep deprivation, and her breakfast - or lack there of. She took comfort in the wind blowing her hair and face. She had a bag on her shoulder and was fully ready to leave.

_This is it. _

She took a deep breath. She knew what this meant. She had planned it all last night. She would have to get close to Uchiha Itachi, get under the guard of councils, and more than anything keep cover. She would have to tell half-truths.

Madara was there within the second. Literally. One second she was the only one in the clearing, and the next Madara stood there in all his annoyingly arrogant manner. The aura around him was almost unbearable - almost choking her. She kept her impassive face.

As he reached her, Madara smiled. Time to put everything in motion.

"Good morning, Sakura," he greeted.

Her eyes narrowed into slits and the arms crossed over her chest clenched. He merely smirked.

"Have you decided?"

She nodded.

"And?"

"I agree."

"Excellent."

She nodded, though her feeling betrayed nothing, Madara could tell she didn't trust him. It was a bit of a relief to know she had 'some' sense because he was not to be trusted. It was wise that any shinobi knew that. It was only too bad for her what he planned to do after she left. She would think he would follow her, but he actually had much more…imperative plans to attend to. So, for now, he would have to forego his amusement with her.

"You might want to explain this to me," she demanded.

He laughed, "Of course. As I said, I will send you eight years before the massacre. You will be Uchiha Itachi's age. From there, you may do as you see fit. Only one thing I might advise you. Nobody knows you are from the future, so it would be to your benefit to change your last name and keep a low profile. But that is entirely up to you after all. Do as you wish. But be warned that the Uchiha see through deception."

Her eyes narrowed again, "As do I, Uchiha. As do I."

He sneered inwardly. Of course. _Which is why you've seen through my plan. _Madara thought sarcastically.

"Aa, well it looks like it's time to get opening," Madara commented while performing the seals to open the portal. He gestured to it for her.

Sakura stared at the portal closed her eyes and gulped. There would be no turning back. The malicious voice was behind her now, "One more thing."

He pushed her in, "Try not to get yourself killed if you can manage."

---

Sakura felt as if she were falling through a never-ending pit. Her stomach was flipping in spirals, and if not for the seriousness of the situation - and if Naruto were here - she might have called it fun laughing the whole way.

Her chakra was wavering and she knew she was exhausted. What irritated her the most was the fact her clothes were changing into…a dress? What. The. Hell? She closed her eyes tightly trying to remember the reason why. She was going into the past, eight years before the massacre. Which meant Itachi would be…five? Sakura was somewhat panicked. How would she pull of being a five year old with the powers of a seventeen year old ANBU medic?

She didn't think much longer, because she felt her head hit damp soil. Before she lost consciousness, she felt liquid within her hair and she heard the voices of two unfamiliar people with onyx eyes.

Uchiha Itachi was very rarely ever surprised anymore, but imagine his surprise when he saw a girl fall from the air. He turned to his older cousin, "Shisui?"

He nodded, "Let's go."

Walking to the spot where the girl was now sprawled across, he took in her features. She was in a scarlet dress, and had the oddest variation of hair and eye color. Emerald eyes were struggling to open before they shut. Smelling the metallic red on the ground, he noticed her pink locks were covered with blood.

"What do we do with her?" Itachi asked cautiously.

He shrugged with a frown as he picked her up, "Let's take her to your mother. She'll know what to do."

Itachi nodded as he followed his cousin to the compound.

--

Sakura felt the headache before she was awake. Before opening her eyes, she sighed putting a hand to her head. She felt…bandages? Wait, what? Her eyes snapped open as she looked around. She was unfamiliar with where she was. She thought back to what had happened before she woke up. Blood, eyes…Pain, Sakura thought as she grasped her head. She was about to stand up when a voice caught her.

"Oka-saan said you should rest or you might faint."

Sakura turned around to face…a five year old…Sasuke?

_No_, her inner corrected.

_Uchiha _Itachi. _And we are currently in his home_.

* * *

**Okay, sorry for the late update but here's the next chapter. J Please review, it fuels my writing! Also, the chapters will get longer than this I hope. But anyway, tell me what you think.**


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